from Record Mirror

below: Two different atcetats

February 1st, 1973: The final RCA single by the Searchers was out in the UK. Catalogue No. RCA 2231
In Germany - with picture cover -RCA Victor 74 16285
Australia also on RCA, record number: 102 256
There might also be realeases in South Africa and New Zealand, but they can't be traced anywhere. 

 

 

Below: Promo in Factory sleeve and two different UK pressings

 

from Disc, April 8th, 1973

German single + promo image of the B-Side with a simple sticker

The A-Side was sung by Mike - one of his strongest vocals ever. Again the group produced their record by themselves, the strings were arranged  by
Fi Trench.
At least in Germany it had some airplay but didn’t chart.
The B-Side was Spicks And Specks - a Barry Gibb composition - but done in a rougher style compared to the Bee Gees’ version. Again a great Pender
vocal.
All in all a perfect single, this one really should have made it!!!

Richard expected us to choose one of the brighter tracks to cover but we immediately honed in on the emotive ballad Solitaire. Everything about it screamed 'quality' and quite possibly'hit'. This was excellent material with a superb tune and meaningful lyrics that tugged at the emotions. Fi Trench provided us with an excellent string arrangement and even showed me the piano part that, despite my more than limited expertise on the instrument, would allow us to reproduce the track on stage. Mike Pender's vocal was crystal clear and the tone was as good as anything he had done so far. But once again we could not get the level of radio plays or any television exposure at all that we desperately needed to boost sales. It was a record that we were justifiably proud of but it failed to make any headway into the best sellers.

Frank Allen: The Searchers And Me  Castle-upon-Alun 20099, page 266

on the right: Neil Sedaka in the middle		  


Richard Swainson, A&R man at RCA' had suggested that we record a song called 'Solitaire" written by Neil Sedaka. It was not our usual type of number, like country rock or good three-part-harmony material. The string- and-percussion backing track was recorded and I did the vocal,- it was a solo performer’s song really.
After everyone was happy with the recording' a release date was planned by RCA - the good news. The B-side was a cover of the Bee Gees' Spicks and Specks,. Then all our hard work was wasted when RCA dropped their support for it.

Mike Pender: The Search For Myself, Malpas 2014, page 119

 

Neil Sedaka finished it in Manchester with member of 10CC and he played it over on the phone to us, recalled John McNally. … We thought it was a superb song, and we thought our version was top quality, but RCA didn’t think it was hit material so they didn’t promote it as it should have been promoted. (From booklet Complete RCA/UK recordings)

 Again with no contract the Searchers weren’t forgotten. They had their work in clubs and a US tour in May 1973 was to come.